Improvement in scythe-fastenings



D. W. GREEN.

Scythe Snath.

Patented May 6, 1856.

s whw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENISON W. GREEN, OF BERNARDSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ARETAS FERRY.

IMPROVEMENT IN SCYTHE-FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 14,842, dated May 6, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENISON W. GREEN, of Bernardstown, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Mechanism for Attaching a Scythe to its Snath or Handle; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l exhibits a top view of a scythesnath having my improvement applied to it. Fig. 2 is an under side or bottom view; Fig. 3, aside view; Fig. 4, a transverse section taken through the binding-stirrup, to be hereinafter described. Fig. 5 is a view of the adjustable Wedge forming part of my invention.

In such drawings, A denotes the snath, and B the scythe-blade, thelower end of the snath terminating in a ferrule, 0, formed with a flat bed or plate, D, on which the shank a of the blade is placed, and against which it is borne at its neck by a binding stirrup or staple, E. The lower end of the shank is bent at a right angle, or nearly so, to its flat surface, forming a stud or projection, which is represented in dotted lines at b, Fig. 3, and enters a recess made to receive it in the plate or bed D in the usual way. The said binding stirrup or staple extends laterally through the ferrule, and also a slot, 0, of an adjustable wedge, F, which is arranged on the opposite surface or side of the ferrule to that on which the blade is, as seen in the drawings. The said stirrup where it projects through the wedge is jointed to a camlever, G, the lever turning on a pin or fulcrum, d, and having the form as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. When the said cam-lever is turned around so as to project beyond the end of the snath, as shown in side view in Fig. 6, the shank of the scythe-blade may readily be passed into and through the the binding-stirrup and have its stud or projection fixed in its recess in the.

bed D. This having been accomplished, the cam-lever is next to be turned, around so as not only to carry its cam eagainst the Wedge,

- but its long arm fclose up to the handle or sequence of the shanks ofdiEferent-sized blades varying in thickness, I employ the adjustable wedge, in order that the clamping eontrivance or cam-lever and stirrup may be adapted to the affixing of any such shanks to the snath, the diiference in thickness being compensated for by moving the adjustable wedge endwise, either backward or forward, as occasion may require, the wedge serving at the same time as a bearer for the cam of the lever to work against.

I am aware that in order to fasten a scythe to the bed-plate or ferrule of a snath it has been customary to employ a stirrup or staple and to provide such stirrup or staple with a simple screw and nut where it extends through the ferrule, the staple being drawn down upon the shank of the blade by turning the nut around upon the screw. There are serious objections, however, to the employment of the screw and nut, because, in the first place, it is very common for the nut to work loose upon its screw while the scythe is in use, and thus loosen the connection of the blade with the handle or snath; and, secondly, when such nut becomes so loosened on its screw itis very liable to fall oft'and be lost. In the third place, the nut cannot well be operated or turned up with sufticient force without the use of a wrench, and such is not always at hand when wanted; and, furthermore, thenut is liable to become more or less rusty, so as to render it difficult to remove it from its screw. The object of my invention, therefore, has been to obviate these dit'ficulties and to obtain some expeditious means of operating the confining-stirrup-one, also, which would be so connected with the handle or snath that there will be no danger of loss of any of its parts. For this purpose I employ the cam-lever or the cam and lever and the adjustable wedge. I

I claim as my invention or improvement- The combination of the adjustable wedge and cam-lever as applied to the binding-stirrup and snath, as arranged and made to operate therewith, substantially as hereinbet'ore specified.

In testimony whereoflhave hereunto set my signature this 26th day of February, A. l). 1856.

DENISON W. GREEN.

Witnesses:

DANIEL W. TEMPLE, WARD A. FERRY. 

